Bill Belichick’s defense must stifle the Irish ground game and unleash a fierce pass rush to secure a legacy-defining upset and silence critics in Chapel Hill.
There was a good chance that if North Carolina defeated Clemson on Sept. 19, ESPN's "College GameDay" would have made a visit to Chapel Hill before the Tar Heels were set to host Notre Dame.
Instead, UNC fumbled the back out of the lengthy weather delay in the fourth quarter, losing a game it dominated early by a 28-20 score. The loss dropped North Carolina to 2-1 after a strong start with a win over TCU in Dublin, Ireland, to begin the campaign.
Immediately after the loss to Clemson, UNC head coach Bill Belichick received more criticism, as he really needed to win the that game to stave off the negative press that came with a 4-8 season in 2025 and the resignation of general manager Michael Lombardi and defensive coordinator Steve Belichick.
That doesn't mean Belichick is out of opportunities to turn things around. UNC will host No. 3 Notre Dame on Saturday, and an upset of the Fighting Irish would be Belichick's best win since the New England Patriots beat the Buffalo Bills 14-10 in Week 13 of the 2021 NFL regular season.
Bill Connelly of ESPN thinks UNC has a legitimate path to upset the Irish, and it hinges on Belichick's defense. North Carolina's pass rush is the best Notre Dame has seen so far this season. If UNC can stop Notre Dame's rushing attack, which has been sluggish at points this season, the Tar Heels could cause problems for the visiting Irish.
Of course, UNC hasn't been especially great at run defense. The Tar Heels gave up 142 rushing yards to TCU running back Jeremy Payne. They allowed Clemson to rush for 186 yards and two scores two weeks ago.
Even if the defense plays lights out, North Carolina will have to get production out of Billy Edwards Jr. and the offense that they have showed just yet. Notre Dame has one of the best secondaries in the country.
If North Carolina can run the ball efficiently, it could have a chance, but at some point Edwards will have to make a play. Frankly, UNC offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino seemed petrified to put the ball in his hands during crucial moments of the loss to Clemson.
The likelihood that North Carolina beats the Irish feels slim. However, the game is at Noon ET, and that timing could throw off a Notre Dame team traveling from Indiana.
